Sealing and release device



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June 14, 1932. A. Q RQWLEY SEALING AND RELEASE DEVICE Filed Dec. 4, 1930 Patented June 14, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTHUR C. ROWLEY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNO TO GLOBE AUTO- MATIC SPRINKLER COMPANY, F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A. CORPORA- TION 0F PENNSYLVANIA SEALING AND nnnnasn :onvrcn Application led December 4, lqmserial No. 500,099.

` systems employing carbon dioxide and similar inert substances as the fire extinguishing medium.

More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in sealing and release devices `la) for the containers in which the aforesaid fire l trating the hand wheel in the elevated or op-i extinguishing medium or its equivalent is stored under pressure, and a principal object of the invention is to provide a generally improved sealing and release device of this character.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the stated character in which the fluid lire-extinguishin medium' is releasable by rupture of a iaphragm which normally hermetically seals the container land in which provision is made subsequent to the rupture of the diaphragm for again temporarily sealing the container before the contents are fully exhausted.

Anotherl object of the invention is to provide in a device of the stated character novel means for precluding accidental release of the sealing device.

The invention further resides in certain novel and advantageous structural features and details hereinafter described and illustrated in the attached drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional viewer1 a valve made in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the valve; i

Fig. 3 is an elevational view;

Fig. #l is a fragmentary sectional View oit the upper portion of the device illustrating the hand wheel in an inoperative position, and 4 Fig. 5 1s a view similar and illuserative position. i

With reference to the drawing, the sealing and release device forming the subject of my invention comprisesin a preferred form a casing 1 externally threaded at its lower end for attachment in a container for the CO2 or other fire extinguishing medium.

Extending inwardly from the lower end of the housing is a passage2 which in the present instance is longitudinally threaded at its lower extremity for reception of the threaded end of a tube 3 which in assembly extends downwardly into the container to which 'the device is attached. The passage 2 terminates at its upper end in a somewhat restricted opening 4c, which in turn terminates in a seat 5, upon which seat in assembly and as heremafter set forth is confined afran'gible disk 6, preferably of German silver or other material inert to the effects of the fire extinguishing medium, this disl; sealing the upper end of the passage 2 and effectively preventing escape of the duid contents of the container to which the device is attached.

In assembly, the disk 6 is secured by means of a threaded flange 7 to the lower end of a sleeve 8a this sleeve being threaded into the upper end of the casing l and projecting in part beyond the end yof the latter. The projecting portion of the sleeve 8 is formed for reception of a wrench or other suitable means whereby the sleeve may be turned down in the casing to bring the disk 6 against the seat 5, as previous y set forth. It will be noted that the lower end of the sleeve 8 against which the peripheral portion of the disk 6 is held by means ofthe screw flange 7 overlies the outer portion of the seat 5 and limits the downward movement of the sleeve 8, thereby preventing accidental rupture of the disk by reason of too great pressure against the seat 5. The lower end of the sleeve 8 is provided withports 9 which aford communication between the interior of the sleeve and a chamber 11 in the housing which communicates with a discharge port alsy the hre extinguishing medium. Threaded i into the interior of the boss 13 is a bushing 14 which constitutes a stop for a hollow plunger 15 slidably mounted within'the boss. This plunger is open at its inner end and has at its outer end side openings lwthrough whiclthe lire extinguishing medium is proreception of a correspondingly threaded plunger stem 21, the lower end of this stem being adapted to rest against the face of the disk 6 thereby to constitute a backing for the disk preventing rupture by pressure of the fluid fire extinguishing medium within the container. The inner end of the plunger stem 21 is of greater diameter than the diameter of the opening 4 whereby the peripheral portion of the end surface of the stem in assembly overlies the inner portion of the seat 5 whereby the plunger is prevented from exerting ress'ure upon the disk 6 tending to rupture t e latter. A packing gland 22 is provided in the upper end of the sleeve 8 whereby the joint between the stem 21 and the said sleeve is effectively sealed. As illustrated, the stem 21 projects above the top of the gland 22 and is adapted for reception of a hand wheel 23 by means of which the stem may be turned either to advance the stem inwardly into a position, as illustrated, abutting the disk 6, or to back the stem away from the disk to release the contents of the container, as hereinafter set forth.

The upper end of the stem 21 carries a. transverse pin 24, the ends of which project outwardly beyond the surface of the stem, the

extremities of this pin being adapted forinter-` lookin engagement withlugs 25 which project inwardly from the surrounding hub portion 26 of the hand wheel 23. The lugs 25 are so dimensioncd and located on the hand wheel, however, that they can engage the pin 24 only when the hand wheel is elevated, as illustrated in Fig. 5. When, as illustrated in Fig. 4, the hand wheel is depressed, the lugs are carried out of engagement with the pin 24 whereby the hand wheel is free to turn upon the stem without affecting the latter. A washer 30 secured to -the upper. extremity of the ystern 21 by a screw 27 is adapted to be engaged by the upper surfaces of the lugs and thereby to act as a stop preventing accidental removal of the hand wheel from the stem.

It will be noted further that the passage 2 has a branch passage 28 which terminates in the outer end of a boss 29 on the casing, this boss being externally threaded for reception of a cap 31 having therein a passage 32 in alignment with the outer end of the passage 28. The passage 32 terminates in the present instance in a plurality of radially extending transverse passages 33. The cap 31 functions in the present instance to retain against the outer end of the boss 29 and in position sealing the passage 28 a frangible disk 34 which is adapted to rupture under a predetermined pressure exerted through the passage 28, this constituting a pressure safety vent releasing the contents of the container if the interna-l pressure of the latter exceeds a predetermined safe amount.

The operation of the device is as follows: The casing 1, as previously set forth, is se. cured in a port in a container for the lire extinguishing medium, the latter being held in the container under relatively high pressure. The port 12, also as reviousl set forth2 is in communication wit a suitab e distributing system, and under normal conditions, the plunger 21 is threaded down so as to abut the upper surface of the frangible disk 6 which rests upon the seat 5, thereby sealing the o ening 4 and preventing passage of the uid contents of the container to the port 12. Also under the normal conditions, the hand wheel 23 is in the depressed position whereby rotation thereof fails to affect the plunger 21. When it is desired to release the CO2 or other contents of the container, the hand Wheel 23 is pulled upwardly lso that the lugs 25 are in position to engage the extremities of the pin 24, whereupon the stem 21 may be backed away from the disk 6. This disk being unsupported by the lower end of the stem or plun er 21 has not suicient strength to withstan the pressure of the fluid within the cont-ainer exerted through the passage 2 and ruptures, thereby permitting a flow of the contents of the container through the ports 9 in the sleeve 8 to the port 12, and through this latter port to the distributing system. Th initial iow of fluid from the container causes an outward projection of the cylindrical plunger 15, the fluid thereafter impingin g upon the outery end of the plunger 15'and being diverted transversely through the ports 16, this transverse projection of the fluid in opposite directions preventig undue recoil or reaction effects upon the casing.

Followin operation of the release device as describe above, the ruptured disk 6 may be replaced by removing the sleeve 8 and the flange 7 thereon. Thereafter and with a new disk in place, the sleeve may be re-threaded into the casing, bringing the disk to the seat 5, the plunger 21 thereafter being turned down into engagement with the disk.

An important characteristic of the device, not found in other frangible disk-sealing devices, resides in the ability to temporarily reseal the container following rupture of the disk before the contents are exhausted. This is accomplished by turning down the stem 21 until it engages the seat 5, thereby effectively closing the port 4.

There may, of course, be modification without departure from the invention.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character set forth, a

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casing havin a passage terminating in a seat, a rangi le disk overlying and sealing the terminal end of said passage, a stem in the casing adapted to constitute a backing for one side of the disk preventing rupture of the latter by pressure exerted from the opposite side, and threaded means for retracting said stem to permit rupture of said disk by said pressure.

2. In a device of the character set forth, a casing havin a passage terminating in a seat, a frangi le disk overlying and sealing the terminal end of said passage, a reinforcing member for the disk, means for rotating said reinforcing member, and means associated with said member whereby rotation thereof -fedects a translational movement of the member with respect. to the disk.

3. ln a device of the stated character, a casing having a passage terminating in a seat, a frangihle disk overlying and sealing the terminal end of said passage, and a reinforcing member for said disk in the Jform of a plunger threaded into the casing and adapted for rotation from the exterior of the casing.

Il. A device of the character set forth oomprising a. casing having a through passage,

' a rangible element extending across and sealing said passage, a plunger threaded in said Casin and adapted to occupy a position abutting one side of said frangible element thereby to constitute a backing for the latter preventing rupture by pressure exerted from the opposite side, and means providing for manual actuation of said threaded stem from the exterior of the casing.

. in a device of the character set forth,A

a casing having a passage terminating in a seat, a sleeve secured in said casing, a frangihle disk normallyvconiined to said seat by the sleeve, and a disk-reinforcing plunger threaded Within said slee :e and adjustable with respect to the disk from the exterior of the casing, said plunger being operative in one position of adjustment to prevent rupture oi the disk by pressure exerted from the opposite side, and in another position permitting said rupture.

6. in a device of the stated character, a casing having .i passage terminating in a seat, a rangible disk overlying and sealing the terminal end et said passage, a plunger having threaded engagement in said casing and adapted to reinforce the disk at one side to prevent rupture of the disk by pressure exerted upon the disk from the opposite side,

hand wheel mounted on the plunger exteriorly of thecasing, and a normally disen gaged clutch device for operatively connect the hand Wheel with the plunger.

T. lin a device of the characterset forth, a easing having a passage terminating in a seat, s rangible disk overlying and sealing the terminal end of said passage, a reinforcing member for one side of the disk normal ly preventing rupture of the latter by pressure exerted from the opposite side, said member being retractible from the exterior of the casing to permit the disk to rupture, and means operative from the exterior of the casing for advancing the member into engagement with the said seat to reseal the passage.

8. n a device of the character set forth, a casing having a passage terminating in a seat, a frangible disk overlying and sealing the terminal end of said passage, a reinforcing member for one side of the disk normally preventing rupture of the latter b pressure exerted from the opposite si e, and means for retracting said member to permit the disk to rupture. v

9. In a deviceof the character set forth, a casing having a passage terminating in a. seat, a frangible disk overlying and sealing the terminal end of said passage, a. reinforcing member for one side of the disk normally preventing rupture of the latter by pressure exerted from the opposite side, and means for retracting said member to permit the disk to rupture and for subsequently advancing the member into engagement with the said seat to reseal the passage.

ARTHUR C. ROWLEY. 

